Improved clasp for



UNITED STATEs PATENT L. D. COYVLES, OF ARMADA, MICHIGAN.

lMPFtOVED CLASP FOR HARNESS-TUGS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, L. D. UOWLES, of Armada, in the county ot' Macomb and State oi' Michigan, have invented anew and Improved Clasp for Harness-Tugs; and I do hereby declare that the following is a t'ull, clear, and exact description ot' the same, ret'- erence being had to the accompanying drawings, making a partot this rpecitication, in which- Figure 1 is a side view ot' in v invention in an open state; Fig. 2, a side view ofthe same in a closed state; Fig. 3, a perspective view ot the same.

Similar letters ot' reference indicate corresponding parts iu the several ti gures.

This invention relates to a new and im proved clasp to supersede the ordinary tugbuckle for harnesses; and it consists in the employment or use ot' what may be termed a box formed ot' two parts connected together by means of pins and eceent-ries arranged in such a manner that the two parts may be opened and closed with the greatest facility, and one stra-p iirmly secured in the box and connected with the other strap, which is permanently secured to the box, and the strap rst-named readily released so as to be taken up77 or let ont77 when necessary.

To enablethose skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention, I will proceed to describe it.

A represents one portion ot' a box, which is composed ot' a tlat plate, a, with two pa allel sides, b b, which are at right angles to a..

B is the other portion ot' the box, which isv constructed precisely similar to the portion A, but is much shorter, and has its sides c c fitted in recesses d d made in the sides b b of the box A at one end of the saine.

To each side c of the part B ot' the box there is attached a pin, c, and these pins are itted in eccentric slots ff made in plates C U, which are secured by pivots g, one to each side b of the part A of the box. The plates C C are allowed to turn freely on their pivots g, and each plate O is provided with a handle, D. 'Ihe slots f f are eccentric with the pivots g of the plates G C, as shown in all the figures, and therefore it will be seen that bv turning the plates C through the medium ot' the handles D D the two parts ot the box will be forced apart by shoving outward the handles D, as shown in Fig. l, and the two parts are brought in contact by shoving inward said handles, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

When the two parts A B ot the box are adjusted in contact, they firmly clasp one strap.

(shown in red) ofthe tug, the other strap (also shown in red) being attached or connected in any proper way to the part A. A connection is thereby formed between the two straps, and by shoving outward the handles D the strap within the box will be released, and said strap may be taken up or let out with the greatest facility. By this arrangement the adjustable strap does not require to be perforated with holes, as is the case when the ordinary buckles arc used, and said strap will consequently be much more durable.

l would remark that the adjustable strap may be provided with transverses wells, and the box provided with corresponding depressions to receive the swells of the strap, and thereby prevent the casual slipping of the latter. This, however, I do not consider in'- dispensabl y necessary.

llavin thu'sdescribed 1n yinvention, whatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

Ihe box composed ot' two parts, A B, connected together by the pins e on the part B, titted in eccentric slots j' j' in plates C C, pivot-ed to the part A, substantially as shown, to t'orni a new and improved clasp for harnesstugs, as set forth.

L. D. GOWLES. Witnesses:

ROBERT HAMILTON, FREEMAN KELLEY. 

